REGINA - A new mobile app from eHealth has been released to allow people to more easily access their health records on their cell phones.
It is the MySaskHealthRecord mobile app, which can now be downloaded from the Apple and Google Play app stores. The mobile app will work on Apple operating system 14 and newer, or Android operating system 11 or newer.
MySaskHealthRecord is already available as a secure website on the Web. According to provincial officials the new app will have the same functionality as the web based version and provide the same information as the website.
According to the province, this app will allow users to see lab test results, medical imaging reports, their immunization history, prescription history, and clinical visit history, just by tapping each icon.
Users can also customize the display and add their own information and results, and they can also share information with other MySaskHealthRecord users (ie. other family members).
The app was developed for eHealth at a cost of $291,000 by their partner Telus Health. The province says the app is something residents had requested.
"The mobile app is something users of MySaskHealthRecord have been asking for since the service was introduced, and I’m very pleased to say that that’s now a reality, making it easier than ever for Saskatchewan residents to take their health into their own hands," Melville-Saltcoats MLA Warren Kaeding said at the news conference, on behalf of Health Minister Paul Merriman.
"MySaskHealthRecord users advise that the service improves their understanding of their health. It helps them feel better prepared for their appointments, and reduces some of the stress that often comes when dealing with a health issue.”
Officials stressed that the data in the app is stored securely, and like the web version users must still log in to access the information.
Residents must already have a MySaskHealthRecord account to use the app. They can go to eHealthsask.ca/MySaskHealthRecord, select "Register for an account" and follow the steps to register. Already, there are more than 674,000 active MySaskHealthRecord accounts.
The new app is free to download and available to residents at their discretion — residents are not required to have it. For those who don’t wish to download the app, the web-based version of MySaskHealthRecord will still be available.
Medical professionals have lauded the app as a useful tool for patients and their health care providers.
“So many of my patients have mentioned to me that they appreciate coming to their interviews equipped with their medical test results," Dr. Nelson Leong said. "This allows us to focus on our plan and our discussion rather than being loaded down with new information. I feel this makes our appointments much more efficient and leads to much better care."
"MySaskHealthRecord has evolved into a crucial and integral part of my every day," Patient Family Partner Tyler Moss said. "The more you know about your own health the better. Knowledge is power… Now, with the information at my fingertips on an app it takes accessibility to that information to a new level.”
Kaeding emphasized the new app is not a step towards digital ID. “The information that’s available on the MySaskHealthRecord is Saskatchewan based, Saskatchewan derived information. This is for Saskatchewan residents.”
